Trade Institutional Reform and Capacity Development
Background
Component 1 emanates from one of the three main problem areas identified for Trade-Related Assistance Programme Phase Two (TRA-II), that is: “lack of clear responsibilities, coordination, cooperation and communication of trade actors.” Therefore, the main result under Component 1 is to ensure that institutional reforms are completed, with trade institutions strengthened to efficiently perform their mandate.
In this connection, activities foreseen will focus on capacity development to support the establishment of efficient trade institutions with clearly defined mandates and cooperation mechanisms. Roles and responsibilities of all the trade stakeholders must be clarified and agreed upon in a consultative way and cooperation channels between them will be strengthened, including the reinforcement of systematic government to government, and government to the Non-State Actors dialogues on trade related issues.
Therefore the support from TRA-II is needed to clarify the roles and further seek NEC Decision to provide a clear and permanent institutional arrangement to assume trade mandate to formulate and implement a modern trade policy effectively.
Budget
The budget for Component 1, institutional reform and capacity development, is Euros 124,000 / approx. PGK 363,843
Key Stakeholders
The key stakeholders for Component 1 are:
•Department of Commerce and Industry
•Department of Foreign Affairs
•Investment Promotion Authority (IPA)
• Department of PM & NEC
•Other stakeholders include the Independent Consumer and Competition Commission (ICCC), other departments (Agriculture and Livestock, Fisheries, Forestry) and the private sector.
Expected Results
The key result is to complete institutional reforms with trade institutions strengthened to efficiently perform their mandate. This will be achieved through a number of actions:
•Action 1: Upgrade the capacities of the Trade Division
•Action 2: Operationalize the institutional reform initiated
•Action 3: Enhance the capacities of other key stakeholders like DCI, ICCC and IPA
Component 1 Focal Point
Mr Raphael Uranguai, Assistant Secretary, Trade Promotion and Development Branch
